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Location: Australia

Member Since: May 27, 2011

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Helen A. Howell

Biography

Helen is a fiction writer, who writes in several genres which include fantasy, noir, horror and humour. She has written several short stories, flash fictions, poems and completed her first novel, a children’s fantasy fiction. Her work has appeared in e-zines as well as in print. She is a member of Friday Flash Dot Org. and is a regular participant in writing Friday Flash.

On Feb. 21st 2013 her new Novella I Know You Know - a psychic thriller for adults was released by Crooked Cat Publishing.

In January 2014 her new Novella Mind Noise was released by Crooked Cat Publishing.

You can find her blog at http://writingmywords.com and find her on Twitter @Helenscribbles

Smashwords Interview

What's the story behind your latest book?

The idea for my latest book which was Published by Crooked Cat Publishing in February 2013 and called 'I Know you Know,' came from the thought, what if a tarot reader could see something terrible about her client and what if the client suspected she knew—what would happen then? This was the premise from which the story was born: When Janice, a tarot reader, with the aid of her dead grandmother, sees in the cards that a new client of hers, a Mr. Edgar Kipp, is a serial killer, and Edgar suspects she knows, what will Janice do? As Edgar plans her demise, the race begins. Who can Janice tell? Who will believe her? Which one of them will survive?

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

I think the greatest joy of writing for me is to be able to give life to the ideas that flow around in my head and then not just to see those ideas materialise as a story, flash fiction or novel but to also have the pleasure of sharing them with others.

Books

A gift or a curse?
Mikey is in for a surprise as he finds out about the power he possesses. Who is the old man who can hear the thoughts of others and communicate by thought alone? And should the boy trust him?

Helen A. Howell’s tag cloud

Smashwords book reviews by Helen A. Howell

White Pickups
on Aug. 08, 2012
In the beginning Larry introduces us to Tina and her daughter Kelly. It all seems like a normal day as Tina drives home, but as she does, she starts to notice that there are a few White Pickups on the road. Things become stranger when she arrives at work the next day and finds not just her department, but others in the building are missing a large number of staff—absent without leave. On her return home she notices in her suburb more White Pickups not just on the roads but also parked in her neighbours driveways, instead of their usual cars. Soon she is to discover that her own car as well as her daughter’s is replaced with one of these Pickups, and that the White Pickups whisper to them, drawing them closer in an attempt to get them to climb in. People are compelled to get in and drive off, and once they do, are not seen again.
People continue to disappear, unable to resist the whisperings from the trucks. Tina and her daughter manage to withstand their call and find themselves alone, that is, till they meet up with Cody, an unusual character, who is used to being different to those around him and who found ignoring the call of the trucks easier than most. Soon these three are joined by more survivors, Tim and Sara who Tina had met while gathering supplies and later by Tina’s ex Charles and a group of survivors from Charles’s home town.
Larry Kollar has created a diverse and interesting bunch of characters who band together in a time of adversity, as their life as they knew it breaks down around them. He takes us on a journey that allows us to witness their highs and lows as they struggle to survive the constant threat by the White Pickups. Among these characters is a young man called Cody, whose imagination drive and self sufficiency motivates and encourages those who come to know him.
The story has the right mix of love, courage and determination to survive, along with conflict to make it an enjoyable read. What are the White Pickups? Why are they here? I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out.
I am happy to give this book the HelenScribbles thumbs up.
(This review also appears on my blog helen-scribbles.com)

Accidental Sorcerers
on Feb. 06, 2013
I had the pleasure of first meeting these characters when Larry Kollar showed them in a serial on his website. So I was extra pleased to see them come together in this novella.
We join Mik, just an ordinary boy, when his homeland is being invaded by an enemy army. Mik along with his friend Robi decide to use the words from a children’s rhyme to attempt to wake an Ice Dragon and get it to help make the invaders retreat. Not only is he successful he actually survives the ritual, and it agrees to help him. Mik has become an Accidental Sorcerer. What he doesn’t know though is that he’s suppose to put the dragon back to sleep when its task is finished, and more than that, he has no idea how to do it. His failure to do so would result in the dragon’s death so the dragon threatens him with the loss of his own life if he cannot do it. The young lad goes with the dragon in search of the Sorcerer Bailer the Blue in the hopes of he can help him find the right spell. Mik learns what is needed and dispels the dragon. Bailer sees in the boy a talent for magic, and takes him on as his apprentice along with his own daughter Sura. So begins the adventure….
I’ll not tell you anymore, so as not to spoil the tale. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens next.
Larry Kollar has created some believable characters in this story. He weaves their lives expertly together as they journey through their different adventures and meet the challenges they must face, in order to learn and grow both as people and as sorcerers.
Kollar has written a story that captures your imagination within the world of these characters, where magic is part of the everyday life, but not to be used lightly. He has us join Mik and Sura the two young apprentices as they both come of age and experience friendship, first love and a sense of allegiance to their mentor Bailar the Blue.
Accidental Sorcerers is a coming of age story. For the hero Mik it’s about finding himself and his purpose in life but also it’s about friendship and loyalty and those first twangs of youthful love.
I see this as a great book for fantasy lovers. If you like Sorcerers, Ice Dragons, and adventure, then this is a book for you.